Lama Atisha & Padmasambhava Statues

Our altar in the Main Gompa was completed in late 2014 with the arrival of our two statues of Lama Atisha and Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). They can be seen flanking our statues of Lama Tsongkhapa and his two main disciples Gyaltsab Je and Khedrup Je. Behind them are our two collections of canonical texts in Tibetan Buddhism known as Kangyur and Tengyur (see picture below). We had the joyful task of extending the altar in order to fit all these precious holy objects!

Main Altar

The highest nobility is in subduing your own mind.
The highest excellence is in having a mind which seeks to help others.
(Lama Atisha 985-1054)

Lama Atisha

Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)

The Lama Atisha and Guru Rinpoche statues are almost forty inches tall (approx. 1 meter) and were made in Kathmandu, Nepal by a reputed artist. Following in the traditional Tibetan style they were made of copper and then carefully painted. The statues made the long journey by road from Kathmandu up the hills to Dharamsala. Upon arrival a group of experienced monks from the Gyurme Tantric College dressed and filled them with mantras.

On the twenty-fifth of February 2015 during Losar celebrations (Tibetan New Year) we were incredibly blessed by the presence of Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drolma) and Dagri Rinpoche. Together they consecrated these two statues along with our two statues of Lama Tsongkhapa’s disciples.